Felice tocci



{No Model.)

v F. TOGGI. Fire Escape.

No. 233,578. Patented Oct. 19, I880.

INVENTOR fJw ATTORNEYS.

FELIOE TOGGI, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

Fl RE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 233,578, dated October 19, 1880.

Application filed eugustll, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FELIcE Tocor, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Fire-Escape, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a new and improved fire-escape which is simple in construction, safe and reliable, and does not deface the building to which it is attached.

The particular features of the invention will first be described in connection with the drawings, and all that is necessary to a full understanding thereof, and then pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved fire-escape, showing the floor of one balcony lowered to form a ladder, whereas the floor of the next lower balcony is raised. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional elevation of the same on the line as a, Fig. 1, showing the floor raised. Fig. 3 is a detail plan view of one corner of the balcony. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional elevation through the ladder, on the line 3 y, Fig. 4, showing the construction.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The balconies A A, which may be plain or ornamental, are supported by end brackets, B B, and one or more bent transverse bars, 0 O. The floor of the balconies consists of a ladder or staircase, D 1), formed of two side rails, E E, connected by the steps or rungs F F, pivoted in the said side rails, and connected by a longitudinal rail, G, pivoted to the lower or outer edge of each step F by means of a bent tongue or strap, H, attached to the steps and passing into the longitudinal recess of the rail G; or the said rail G may be pivoted to the steps in any suitable manner.

The longitudinal stair-rails E are pivoted to the lower longitudinal rails, I and J, of the balcony, or are hinged to the rigid part K of the balcony-floor, and are preferably provided with an extension, L, to which a counter-weight, M, is attached. A rope or chain. 0, is attached to one of the lower steps and passes up to the corner eye or pulley, d, on the top rail of the balcony, and passes along the front top rail, P, of the balcony, and is securely attached at Q in some suitable manner.

Two or more brackets, R, which extend beyond the balcony, are pivoted to vertical rods S S of the front railing of the balcony, and are connected by a rod, T, which is pivoted to vertical rods U, connecting the forward ends of the brackets with short arms f, attached to the upper ends of the rods S S, so that both brackets swing together. The inner ends of the brackets R are provided with horizontally-projecting studs g, which fit into apertures h, or upon hooks in the wall.

A bracket-step, V, is arranged in the wall, between the place where the lower end of the ladder rests and the rigid part K of the balconyfloor.

An alarm-bell orlike devicemay be connected with the locking device at Q, so as to notify the inmates if the locking deviceof the rope is being tampered with.

The steps are lowered or raised as follows: Ordinarily the ladder D is raised and folded so as to form a level floor for the balcony, as shown in the lower part of Fig. 1, the ladder being-supported at the end by the rope or chain 0, and in the middle by the swinging brackets R R, which are swung back so that the studs g 9 take on the wall. The cross-bars G of the floor are bent to admit the folding ladder. If the fire-alarm is given, one of the inmates of the corresponding tloor slips out upon the rigid part K of the balcony-floor and swings the brackets R R outward, as shown in the upper part of the front eleyation, Fig. 1. The brackets are preferably provided with a plain catch or lock, so that they cannot swing outward accidentally when it is not necessary or desired. The chain or rope O is then loosened at Q, and the stairs or ladder is lowered until its lower end rests upon the top of the railing of the next lower balcony, or on a bracket, W. The rope is then secured at Q again and the stairs are ready.

The angular bent tongues H will not permit the steps to drop any farther than into a horizontal position.

A safe and convenient staircase is thus formed from one balcony to another. If desired, they may be provided with ornamental folding railings. It the steps are no more required, they are raised by means of the rope or chain and folded down flat. The brackets R R are swung back again, and thus support the stairs, as stated above.

As the balconies can be made very ornamental and the stairs are not seen, the within- 5 described fire-escape will not mar the appearance of the building, as the fire-escapes as constructed at present do.

If desired, the folding stairs need not be as wide as the balcony-floor, as shown in Fig. 3. [0 Having thus described myinventio11,lclai1n as new and desire to secure by Letters Patcut- In a fire-escape, the pivoted swinging bracket R, the vertical rods S U, and the connectingrod '1, in combination with the balcony and 15 folding ladder pivoted thereto, as and for the purpose specified.

Witnesses:

OSCAR F. GUNZ, O. SEDGWIOK.

FELIOE TOCGI. 

